Woot woot! Check out the website: www.etsyclothdiapers.com
Or... look up products from members by searching for the tag "etsyclothdiapers" on Etsy.com!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I ordered FOE!
Fold Over Elastic. I've never used it before but am determined to make some diaper covers. I didn't get any fancy colors but still can't wait for it to get here! In the meantime, I have plenty to keep me busy, mainly making some AIOs (All-In-Ones) & some diaper inserts w/ Zorb & organic bamboo. I'm not going to lie- just the thought of making AIOs makes me nervous! I think because it's something different. My fingers are crossed that they come out well!
Ooh- I have diapers, cloth wipes, breast pads & diaper pail liners listed on my etsy site! www.stef123.etsy.com I feel like I have so much more to do! I look @ other sites & get so many new ideas! There are so mnay new fabrics, etc that I want to buy & try out!
Ooh- I have diapers, cloth wipes, breast pads & diaper pail liners listed on my etsy site! www.stef123.etsy.com I feel like I have so much more to do! I look @ other sites & get so many new ideas! There are so mnay new fabrics, etc that I want to buy & try out!
Choosing a detergent
Choosing a detergent to wash your cloth diapers in can become a daunting task, even though it doesn't seem like it would. You know that you want something scent-free & dye-free, but that's where the confusion begins! Here is a fantastic website that lists HE & regular detergents: http://pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoicesataglancepspd.htm
In general, this is a great site to refer back to.
***I've said it before & I'll say it again- I LOVE unscented Crunchy Clean that can be found on Etsy.com. It is all homemade & lasts a super long time.
In general, this is a great site to refer back to.
***I've said it before & I'll say it again- I LOVE unscented Crunchy Clean that can be found on Etsy.com. It is all homemade & lasts a super long time.
Monday, July 27, 2009
How I wash diapers
Please note: This is how I wash diapers. Everyone is different & it takes some playing around with to figure out what works best for your diapers.
First off, all dirty diapers are thrown into a plain diaper pail w/ a washable liner in it. The poopy diapers are cleaned off in the toilet (I just use toilet paper if I'm unable to just plop the poop into the toilet, but I've heard of people using a plastic knife or other device to scrape with). Inserts are removed from the diaper for more thorough cleaning. Once the pail is full, I toss diapers, cloth wipes & pail liner into the washing machine. I spray about 5 squirts of Bac Out on everything & then do a cold rinse. Once the rinse is done, I switch to a hot wash & throw some Crunchy Clean diaper detergent in the machine. I absolutely LOVE Crunch Clean! This is definitely my favorite diaper detergent. You can find it on Etsy.com. I use the Unscented kind. I also do an extra rinse afterward. Sometimes, if I want to make the diapers extra, extra clean diapers, I toss in some RLR Laundry Cleaner. This stuff is a miracle worker when it comes to stinky or repelling diapers. There have been many times where I was so discouraged w/ my diapers due to them leaking. Not a good thing! I finally learned about RLR & ordered some online (I couldn't find any sold in stores near me. I searched everywhere!). This stuff is amazing!
Once done w/ washing, I throw everything in the dryer. I dry on the Medium setting. When the dryer sensor says everything's dry, I turn it to timed drying because, inevitably, the inserts are still damp. I generally do 10 or 20 minutes on high heat. From everything I've read, you're not supposed to dry on high for the whole thing because the heat damages the PUL. This is why I only do it for a short period.
When that's all done, I stuff the diapers & stack them under the changing table. All done!
***I should say that we have a Whirlpool toploader washing machine. It's not HE. We have a beautiful, 2 year old GE frontloader that's currently taking up space in our garage. That thing was my pride & joy. I loved it- mainly because it was gorgeous. Unfortunately, the rubber ring that sealed the door shredded & the main control panel died. It would've cost $450 to have it fixed so we opted to buy a used machine on Craigslist. Let me tell you, I will NEVER buy another frontloader again! Plus, from everything I've read (and now experienced), HE washers is NOT the way to go when washing cloth diapers. Since there is less water, you need to wash them several cycles some times & that's a pain. Not to mention, definitely NOT saving any water! It used to take over an hour just to wash 1 cycle of diapers w/ my old washer. It now takes probably a 1/2 hour! I love it!
First off, all dirty diapers are thrown into a plain diaper pail w/ a washable liner in it. The poopy diapers are cleaned off in the toilet (I just use toilet paper if I'm unable to just plop the poop into the toilet, but I've heard of people using a plastic knife or other device to scrape with). Inserts are removed from the diaper for more thorough cleaning. Once the pail is full, I toss diapers, cloth wipes & pail liner into the washing machine. I spray about 5 squirts of Bac Out on everything & then do a cold rinse. Once the rinse is done, I switch to a hot wash & throw some Crunchy Clean diaper detergent in the machine. I absolutely LOVE Crunch Clean! This is definitely my favorite diaper detergent. You can find it on Etsy.com. I use the Unscented kind. I also do an extra rinse afterward. Sometimes, if I want to make the diapers extra, extra clean diapers, I toss in some RLR Laundry Cleaner. This stuff is a miracle worker when it comes to stinky or repelling diapers. There have been many times where I was so discouraged w/ my diapers due to them leaking. Not a good thing! I finally learned about RLR & ordered some online (I couldn't find any sold in stores near me. I searched everywhere!). This stuff is amazing!
Once done w/ washing, I throw everything in the dryer. I dry on the Medium setting. When the dryer sensor says everything's dry, I turn it to timed drying because, inevitably, the inserts are still damp. I generally do 10 or 20 minutes on high heat. From everything I've read, you're not supposed to dry on high for the whole thing because the heat damages the PUL. This is why I only do it for a short period.
When that's all done, I stuff the diapers & stack them under the changing table. All done!
***I should say that we have a Whirlpool toploader washing machine. It's not HE. We have a beautiful, 2 year old GE frontloader that's currently taking up space in our garage. That thing was my pride & joy. I loved it- mainly because it was gorgeous. Unfortunately, the rubber ring that sealed the door shredded & the main control panel died. It would've cost $450 to have it fixed so we opted to buy a used machine on Craigslist. Let me tell you, I will NEVER buy another frontloader again! Plus, from everything I've read (and now experienced), HE washers is NOT the way to go when washing cloth diapers. Since there is less water, you need to wash them several cycles some times & that's a pain. Not to mention, definitely NOT saving any water! It used to take over an hour just to wash 1 cycle of diapers w/ my old washer. It now takes probably a 1/2 hour! I love it!
Some pictures from the Mt. Clemens Arts & Crafts show that was this past weekend. It was my very first time doing a craft show & I learned a ton! Most importantly, I need to label things so people know what the heck they are! Also, I need to make tons more stuff! My little table was so bare! I have a month till the next one (August 21 & 22). This time, I'm not going to wait till the last minute & work like a mad woman to get everything done! It was definitely a learning experience. 
Monday, July 20, 2009
I am a fabulous procrastinator...
Right now, I should be sewing, sewing and more sewing. However, I decided that I needed to make a new blog RIGHT. THIS. MOMENT. ;) Here is my to-do list for the week:
-Sew as many diapers as possible (that's my #1 priority)
-Package the nursing pads
-Make a couple more nursing covers (ha! That probably won't happen)
-Make cloth wipes
-Make some diaper pail liners
-Sew tags on diapers that are already made
-Make lots of inserts
-Post some items on my etsy site
And on that note, I better get to the sewing machine!
-Sew as many diapers as possible (that's my #1 priority)
-Package the nursing pads
-Make a couple more nursing covers (ha! That probably won't happen)
-Make cloth wipes
-Make some diaper pail liners
-Sew tags on diapers that are already made
-Make lots of inserts
-Post some items on my etsy site
And on that note, I better get to the sewing machine!
New fabrics!!!
Just received them the other day. I was beyond excited! The only thing I'm bummed about is that there is no way I'll be able to make diapers out of them for the Mt. Clemens Arts & Crafts Fair that is this Friday & Saturday. My husband & I decided to go w/ the skulls fabrics. Is it bad that I wish I had a girl so I could make a diaper for her out of the mermaid print? I LOVE it!
Since I now know how long it takes to get fabric "DIY'd" (sending in regular fabrics to get laminated so they can be used for cloth diapers), my husband & I picked out some holiday fabrics @ JoAnn's yesterday (so far, we have Thanksgiving, 4th of July & Halloween prints) so that when the next DIY rolls around, I'll be able to send in lots of holiday fabrics & have those ready for the future. I had sent in these fabrics (except the 1st 2, which were ordered online) in in JANUARY!
Since I now know how long it takes to get fabric "DIY'd" (sending in regular fabrics to get laminated so they can be used for cloth diapers), my husband & I picked out some holiday fabrics @ JoAnn's yesterday (so far, we have Thanksgiving, 4th of July & Halloween prints) so that when the next DIY rolls around, I'll be able to send in lots of holiday fabrics & have those ready for the future. I had sent in these fabrics (except the 1st 2, which were ordered online) in in JANUARY!I recently ordered some other laminated fabrics online (lime w/ white dots, purple & spring green). I have no idea how long it will take till I get those, but I'm guessing several months. I can't wait!
2 super simple cloth wipes solutions
I don't feel that it's necessary to make a baby wipes solution- water seems to work just fine. However, it's all about personal preference. For our diaper bag, I keep several cloth wipes in a pocket along w/ a small squirt bottle that closes (so no spills!). When my son has a poopy diaper, I just squirt water on a cloth (or, if I'm near a sink, just wet it in the sink). At home, we just use the bathroom sink to wet a cloth. Once you get used to it, it really becomes second nature & you don't think of it as odd! Seriously, I bet my husband would agree! :)
Basic Wipe Solution
(This recipe can be adapted by changing the type of soap or oil)
1/2 cup baby oil
1/2 cup baby wash
2 cups water
Easy Peasy
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons baby wash
1 1/2 cups water
Use a spray bottle to wipes.
Use a bottle with a pull-up spout or a flip top. Pour onto wipes before using.
Place the solution into a commercial baby wipes container and dip wipes into the solution.
Place cloth wipes in a commercial baby wipes container and pour wipes solution over wipes.
A commercial baby wipes container can be placed in a wipes warmer to provide cozy warm wipes for baby.
***Don't store solution or wet wipes for a long time because they can become musty and the wet wipes may even grow mildew. Check your solution and wet wipes daily, and mix smaller batches of solution frequently instead of large batches less often to avoid mustiness.
Found @http://http//ezinearticles.com/?Make-Your-Own-Wipe-Solution&id=118618
Basic Wipe Solution
(This recipe can be adapted by changing the type of soap or oil)
1/2 cup baby oil
1/2 cup baby wash
2 cups water
Easy Peasy
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons baby wash
1 1/2 cups water
Use a spray bottle to wipes.
Use a bottle with a pull-up spout or a flip top. Pour onto wipes before using.
Place the solution into a commercial baby wipes container and dip wipes into the solution.
Place cloth wipes in a commercial baby wipes container and pour wipes solution over wipes.
A commercial baby wipes container can be placed in a wipes warmer to provide cozy warm wipes for baby.
***Don't store solution or wet wipes for a long time because they can become musty and the wet wipes may even grow mildew. Check your solution and wet wipes daily, and mix smaller batches of solution frequently instead of large batches less often to avoid mustiness.
Found @http://http//ezinearticles.com/?Make-Your-Own-Wipe-Solution&id=118618
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